


the rule of three

by sapphicirene



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: F/F, as expected i guess, poly!singjibo, singjibo, soft!!! very soft, thats funnier knowing that just girlie things was run by a wlw but anyway, theyre all kinda goofy here, three of them. three, when ur in love with ur besties and start dating them hashtag just girlie things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:48:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27627029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphicirene/pseuds/sapphicirene
Summary: minji seeks the company of bora and siyeon after a radio show gone awry, and in doing so, completely shifts their dynamic forever. not that she's complaining, though.
Relationships: Kim Bora | SuA/Kim Minji | JiU, Kim Bora | SuA/Lee Siyeon, Kim Minji | JiU/Lee Siyeon, singjibo - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 188





	the rule of three

**Author's Note:**

> hey!!! this is my first attempt at writing poly /ever/ but after writing singji, jibo, and suayeon i figured this was just the natural progression of things LMAO.... hope you enjoy!!

Minji thinks that radio shows are probably her least favorite of all the schedules they do on promotions. There’s been way too many breaches of privacy, obnoxious fans, and pushy radio hosts for her liking, especially knowing how open and unabashed her girls are in sharing their lives. It feels like a slap in the face every time they’re faced with yet another question that should have been scrapped in the first place, the radio hosts taking full advantage of the situation and of their clear discomfort.

Minji is human, she gets angry and upset just like anyone else, but these broadcasts seem to test her patience more than anything. She wants nothing more in the world than to protect her members and to shield them from the outside eye, one that pries way too deeply into their personal lives as is.

She’s seated between Bora and Siyeon today, and thankfully they’re aware of her feelings about these broadcasts. Siyeon’s hand finds hers under the table, pinching the skin on the back of her hand like she always does. The feeling coaxes some of the rigidity out of her features, and she relaxes a bit. After all, she knows they feel the same way. Bora turns to give her a shy, encouraging smile as the host sits down, about to begin the show.

Minji looks around at the members, and nods at them all, her eyes and lips working in tandem to shoot them a bright smile. Minji hopes, foolishly, that everything will go smoothly, that maybe they’ll get off easy today.

The first half of the interview goes without a hitch, the girls promoting their new album flawlessly. It’s when they get to the viewer questions that Minji’s blood pressure skyrockets. 

The radio host glances at the computer screen with wide eyes, squinting and moving his head closer to the screen as if he couldn’t believe what he was reading.

_Here we go,_ Minji thinks.

The host pulls back into his former position, and Minji despises the knowing and sinister smile scrawled on his lips.

“User 374 asks, how are your dating lives? Any boyfriends?” The host says, his voice dripping with amusement.

Minji’s anger flares instantly, and she feels the adrenaline start coursing through her as she looks around at the members, who all look like they’ve just finished taking a swim in the Antarctic ocean. The shock and fear is palpable, and there’s a long silence that Minji knows she has to be the one to punctuate.

“I mean, that’s not really anyone’s business, right?” Minji says, forcing a smile through clenched teeth.

She feels Siyeon pinching her hand with more urgency now, and while that would usually calm her down, it’s just making her more anxious. She takes Siyeon’s hand in her own and squeezes, enough to express her frustration with the host, but not enough to make it hurt. Siyeon’s fingers rub her knuckles gently, and Minji is grateful for the silent understanding.

The host barks out a harsh laugh, and shakes his head.

“I’m just asking the questions here,” he says, squinting to read the nametag on Minji’s shirt, “-Jiu.”

As if this whole situation couldn’t have gotten more insulting. She’s about to speak up when Bora cuts her off.

“It’s okay, we’re pretty boring. No dating.” Bora says with a laugh.

The other members laugh along with her, knowing fully well that something was up if _she_ was the one stepping up to diffuse the situation. Minji is grateful for the interruption, because her temper is flaring and she can only sit idly by for so long.

Bora looks at Minji again, and there’s a shine of desperation in her eyes. A silent plea. Her eyes widen and her eyebrows raise, and Minji knows what she’s trying to say. Minji takes in a deep breath, closing her eyes and exhaling slowly. She needs to be calm.

The best thing she can do right now is to be level-headed, and at ease. She squeezes Siyeon’s hand again, a silent thank you. Her anger fades over time into a helpless numbness, and she can’t help but feel like she did a horrible job handling the situation, even if it was sprung on her without warning.

Thankfully, the rest of the interview goes as smoothly as it possibly could have afterwards, though Minji stays uncharacteristically quiet throughout the rest of it.

They’re walking back to the car when she feels Bora’s arms snake around her waist and her cheek settles on her back.

“You did great, Minji.” She says quietly, her voice muffled by the padding of Minji’s jacket.

Minji feels her eyes well up at the sentiment, her heart racing as Bora squeezes onto her more tightly, stopping her in her tracks. Minji stands silently and lets Bora hold her for a moment. When she pulls away, Minji frowns at the loss, but quickly wipes the disappointment off of her face before Bora can notice.

“I didn’t.” Minji says, as Bora latches onto her arm as they walk together.

“You did, I swear. That guy is just a fucking ass.” Bora says angrily, pulling Minji closer.

Minji still doesn’t feel like talking, so she lets Bora carry the conversation, absorbing whatever small comments she had to make. They’re the last two to the car, and Minji can’t help but notice that her usual seat is occupied by Yoohyeon. And, to Minji’s great surprise, the company had sent the smaller van, which meant that Siyeon, Bora, and Minji all had to pile into the singular row of seats at the back.

She sighs, and lets Bora in first. She’s shocked when Bora refuses to take the middle seat, which is usually what she would opt for (so she could spread out over whoever happened to be sitting next to her). It’s a nice gesture, she supposes, even if Minji would have preferred the window seat.

Minji settles in tenderly, being careful not to wake Siyeon, who was already passed out against the cold window. Bora looks at Minji and rolls her eyes, pointing to the youngest of the three. Minji just nods, and offers a small smile. 

  
The car lurches forward suddenly, and the movement makes Siyeon stir. She blinks her eyes open and a deep pout forms on her face. Wordlessly, she rolls in the seat to cozy against Minji’s side. She pulls Minji’s arm over her back, forcing her to cradle Siyeon in her arms. Her head settles against the crook of Minji’s neck, her soft breaths gracing her collarbone gently. It makes Minji shiver, and she prays that Siyeon can’t hear how fast her heart is beating. She gulps nervously, and shoots Bora a worried glance.

A smile plays over Bora’s lips and she leans over into Minji’s space to whisper to her.

“You both look so cute.” Bora says breathily, her lips forming into a shy smile when she pulls away.

Minji blushes furiously at the compliment, and it takes all her restraint not to wake Siyeon. Minji nods as subtly as possible, acknowledging Bora’s words. She isn’t given a chance to recover before Bora follows Siyeon’s lead, grabbing Minji’s arm and draping it over her back so she can nuzzle into Minji’s warmth.

“I felt left out.” Bora admits. Her hand settles on Minji’s thigh, rubbing it gently.

Minji is breathless. She has no idea what to say, and she’s incredibly overwhelmed by the sensation of both women in her arms. She’s a little offended that she’s been made their pillow for the ride home, but she can’t say she’s not thoroughly enjoying it, either. 

Bora doesn’t seem like she’s sleeping, judging by the way her hand is still making lazy circles on the top of her thigh.

“Are you comfortable?” Minji blurts out, a little louder than intended, her nerves hijacking her sensibility.

Bora lets out a quiet laugh.

“I am.”

“O-okay.”

Bora huffs out another laugh. “I promise, we both think you’re very cozy.”

Minji nods again, careful not to hit either of their heads with her chin.

The rest of the ride happens in silence, and Minji is nearly about to fall asleep, the warmth of the two women cuddled into her side too comforting, right as they pull into the dorm. Minji sighs, it seems like everything in the world is against her today. Yoohyeon pulls the van door open with a bang, and Siyeon startles awake. She lets out a whine, pulling herself into Minji’s side with an unbridled ferocity.

Bora and Minji laugh, and Bora ducks under Minji’s arm to get out of the van.

“C’mon, Si. Time to go inside.” Minji chides.

Siyeon whines louder this time, but opens her eyes to look up at Minji. Her eyes are wide and pleading, and Minji can’t push away the thoughts of how cute she looks. Usually, she manages to, but with a half-asleep Siyeon pressed to her side, her thoughts run wild.

“Please?” Minji tries again, her voice more urgent as her thoughts get exponentially muddled by the desperation she feels to kiss Siyeon’s pout away.

“Okay…” Siyeon finally concedes, pulling away from Minji slowly.

Minji breathes out a sigh of relief, and it’s like the gears in her brain finally start turning again. She’s grateful for the moment of clarity, and lets Siyeon hop out of the car first so she can gather her thoughts. She blinks slowly and sucks in a deep breath before exiting. Bora and Siyeon are attached at the hip as they walk into the garage together, and Minji’s heart skips a beat at the sight. She gets even more flustered when they stop right before entering the dorm, waiting for her to catch up.

“Thanks.” Minji says shyly, as they walk into the dorm together. Both girls offer her bright smiles, and Minji smiles back at them, finally feeling a little better after all that had happened earlier.

  
They go their separate ways now, Minji heading for her room and Bora and Siyeon, the kitchen. They always snack after a late schedule like this one, but Minji is a little too exhausted to join them tonight. She spends an hour winding down and preparing to sleep, though her mind has been quite relentless tonight. It’s endless torment about things she’s too cowardly to admit, and regret and fear about what had happened on broadcast. She sighs and cozies herself into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She shuts her eyes and tries to sleep, but she’s assaulted with the image of Bora and Siyeon in her arms, and it jolts her awake.

Minji sits upright in bed, and the dorm is silent. She furrows her eyebrows and takes this unusual silence as a distraction, opting to go investigate the communal spaces. Minji shuffles out of bed with a sigh, and opens the door, craning her head in the hallways. None of the lights are on in any of the members’ rooms, the only semblance of light leaking from around the corner, coming from the living room.

Minji walks out quietly, and she finds Bora and Siyeon on opposite ends of the couch, chatting quietly. They offer her a bright smile and gesture for her to sit in the empty chair.

“Can’t sleep?” Bora asks.

Minji shakes her head, her lip jutting out in a frown.

Bora and Siyeon laugh, and Minji reclines on the side chair, her legs hanging over one of its arms. 

“What’re you guys up to?”

Siyeon shrugs. “Nothing really. Just talking about how stupid that host was.”

Minji feels a wave of anger wash over her again.

“That was insane. I cannot believe that guy has a job at all, how does he get away with that?” Minji scoffs.

“No idea. I was so close to biting his head off.” Bora says, accentuating her statement with a few loud chomps of her teeth, which makes Minji and Siyeon howl with laughter.

Minji feels less on edge now, thankful that Bora always finds a way to lighten the mood. Once they all had settled, Siyeon is next to speak.

“You handled it really well, Ji.” Siyeon muses. “Seriously, I would have had no idea what to say to that.”

Minji huffs out a half laugh. “Thanks, Siyeon.”

“Like seriously, some of us don’t even like guys.” Siyeon says cautiously, her eyes darting around the room to gauge the response.

Minji’s heart leaps up into her chest, beating wildly. What was Siyeon implying? And why was she excited?

There’s a tentative silence, but it’s not uncomfortable. All three women exchange glances before anyone speaks again.

“I mean, we kissed on that show once, Siyeon.” Bora pipes up, and the blush on her face is unmistakable. There’s a weird knot that forms in Minji’s stomach at the thought, and for a brief second she wonders what both of their lips feel like. She has to physically shake herself out of that trance, and plays it off like she’s brushing hair out of her face. She’s _so_ fucked. The more they talk about this, the harder it is to deny what’s been on her mind for so long, the scenarios she’d play out in her head before sleeping. It’s so close to being real, and Minji is frozen in disbelief.

Siyeon and Bora laugh knowingly. “That was kinda hot.” Siyeon admits, and it’s her turn to blush now.

“Wait. Really?” Bora says, incredulous.

“Yeah. Is that weird?” 

“No.” Bora’s answer comes shockingly quick. “I’ve been wanting to do that again for a while.”

Minji feels like time slows. Was she supposed to be watching this all happen, right now? She feels uncomfortable at the thought of being here for any moment longer, the pit of jealousy in her stomach morphing into an abyss. She wants to admit so badly that she thinks about kissing them all the time, that she wants to be included, her jealousy overwhelming any semblance of reason. 

The air in the room is thick now, and they all sit in silence. Minji can’t take this anymore, it’s getting more and more awkward and she really can’t bear to watch this all happen without her. She shuffles in her chair stiffly and stands up suddenly.

“Hey, you guys can talk this out. I’m gonna go to sleep.” Minji squeaks out, her voice wavering.

She looks at Bora and Siyeon, and they exchange a knowing glance, their eyes wide.

“Minji, wait.” Siyeon says, her voice desperate. “Can you come sit with us?”

Minji laughs. “Why? So I can sit and watch you two make out?” She says, envy manifesting in her words.

“Or you could join us.” Bora says, her voice set and sure of herself despite the very apparent rosy sheen on her cheeks.

Minji stares at them, unwilling to believe what she had just heard.

“Pardon?”

“Is that a no?” Bora says, challenging Minji with her tone.

“You’re serious?”

Bora and Siyeon nod.

“ _Really?_ ” Minji emphasizes, which makes the other two laugh.

“Yes, Minji. Very serious.” Siyeon says.

“Oh. Okay.” Minji says, and she walks over to the couch where they’re sitting. She sits on the edge of the couch, Bora to her immediate left and Siyeon next to her.

“Now what?” Minji continues.

Bora laughs.

“I mean, I can start? I’ve been dying to kiss you.”

Minji’s eyes widen at the revelation, and a thorough blush settles on the apples of her cheeks.

Bora turns to her and rests a hand on her thigh. Her eyes lock with Minji’s, her pupils noticeably blown out. Minji watches her eyes travel down to her lips, where they linger.

“Is that okay?” Her voice is quiet.

Minji nods, silent.

Bora licks her lips, and leans in towards Minji. She stutters in her movement for a second, halting before she can connect their lips. Minji sits frozen, watching her. Bora begins to pull back and her face gets red.

“Sorry. We don’t have to do this if you-”

Minji moves quickly, pulling Bora in by the back of her neck and crashing their lips together. It’s desperate and wanton and Minji is a little embarrassed at how needy she is. Bora is shocked at first, but relaxes into Minji, melding their lips together effortlessly. Bora’s hand grips onto Minji’s thigh tightly, which makes Minji let out a quiet whine as she twitches under her touch. Minji’s grip on the back of Bora’s neck lightens a bit, allowing her some freedom to move, but Bora just chases Minji even more, smashing their lips together recklessly. Eventually, Minji pulls away to gasp for air.

“Wow.” Bora says, her voice low and strained.

Minji’s heart is pounding wildly in her ears, and it’s hard to catch her breath. Bora was relentless and passionate, and her reciprocated neediness makes Minji feel faint. Somehow, her high expectations had been completely blown out of the water, and she stares at Bora, unmoving, until she hears Siyeon whine from the other side of the couch.

“Is it my turn yet?”

Minji and Bora squeak out embarrassed laughs, but nod. Siyeon walks over to where Bora is sitting, and collapses in her lap, her back molded against her chest. Bora instantly accepts her there, her arms wrapping around Siyeon to hold her in place, where she faces Minji. Bora lets up her grip enough for Siyeon to lean over to Minji. She awkwardly arranges herself to meet Siyeon, and their kiss is electric.

Siyeon is softer than Bora was, for obvious situational reasons, but Minji can tell she’s shy. Siyeon’s lips on her own are tentative, unsure. When Minji deepens the kiss, pulling her in and caressing her face, Siyeon relaxes into her touch and meets her eagerly. They slowly separate with an awkward smile and avert eye contact. They sit in the quiet for a moment before Bora pulls Siyeon back.

Minji is positively shocked by how polarizing both experiences were, Bora and Siyeon unknowingly working in tandem to melt away any of her residual nerves. 

“Me now!” Bora chirps, which makes Minji and Siyeon laugh.

Siyeon turns around in Bora’s arms to straddle her lap, and they kiss with such thoughtless passion that it takes Minji aback. She wonders what has happened between them in private, because there is really no explanation as to why they both seem like they had been waiting for this opportunity for eons. Siyeon’s hands tangle in Bora’s hair, and Bora’s hands settle tightly on Siyeon’s waist, which elicits a series of loud groans from them both. Minji bites her lip as the gnawing in her stomach grows more apparent, and she’s eager to intervene.

  
Minji stares at Siyeon’s back, watches how she twitches when Bora tugs on her shirt a little too harshly, how she squirms when Bora’s hands tighten on her waist. Minji stares for longer than she would like to admit before she works up the courage to rest her hands on Bora’s own. She presses herself against Siyeon’s back, scooting into her completely. Minji moves Bora’s hands to Siyeon’s thighs, and Minji replaces hers on Siyeon’s waist, trailing her fingers gently on her stomach before roughly grabbing her sides. Siyeon lets out a low moan, and Minji smirks. She puts her hands under Siyeon’s shirt, her fingers dancing over her abs. Minji moves close enough to bite Siyeon’s ear, and ghosts her lips there.

“This is better than I ever imagined, Si.” Minji purrs. 

At this, Siyeon startles and pulls away from Bora.

“What did you just say?”

She turns to face Minji, sliding off of Bora’s lap, and her face is flushed.

Minji is at a loss for words, and she tries backpedaling.

“I- I just meant that I-” She says, floundering for words with no success.

Bora pokes her head out to look at them, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

“Did you hear that, Bora?” Siyeon says, astonished.

Minji shrinks into herself, and blinks slowly as Siyeon stares her down, her eyes grazing over the length of her body.

“No, what?”

“Minji said that this was ‘ _better than she had ever imagined’.”_

Minji’s face turns a more vibrant shade of red, unsure of how to respond without digging herself a deeper grave.

Bora lets out a soft laugh, and Siyeon laughs with her.

Minji is nearly in tears at this point, completely and utterly humiliated.

“I’m sorry…” She says quietly, her voice cracking halfway through.

At hearing her voice and the tears behind it, Bora and Siyeon stop laughing immediately. The amusement on Siyeon’s face warps into shock.

“Oh my god! Minji, I’m so sorry, I was teasing.”

“Si!” Bora scolds, with a pointed slap to her back.

Minji is crying now, too overwhelmed with the events of the day and everything that had happened in the last 15 minutes. She’s glad Siyeon was joking, of course, but that singular moment of uncertainty and regret was enough to tip her over the edge. It’s spilling out of her recklessly now, and she can barely think straight, nonetheless process anything that had just happened.

Siyeon scoops Minji in her arms and rocks her slowly.

“Minji, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Minji lets herself be comforted, lets Siyeon hold her and press tentative kisses to her head, lets her rub her back. Siyeon brings her a ton of comfort, always has, but it seems a little more meaningful now. It seems more vulnerable.

Minji hears the couch creak as Bora stands, and she’s mumbling incoherent strings of words, though Minji can recognize a few curses as her voice gets more and more distant. She returns quickly, with a blanket and one of the stuffed animals on Minji’s bed.

“Here, baby.” Bora says, tapping Minji on the shoulder so that she can hand the stuffed animal to her. 

Siyeon lets go of Minji for a second, so she can speak with Bora, and Minji tilts her head at the term of endearment. That was new. Minji can see that Bora is a little embarrassed at the interaction, so Minji sends her a shy and thankful smile.

“Thank you.” Minji says, reaching out to grab the pink rabbit Bora shoves at her. Leave it to Bora to be uncharacteristically rough while being so, so sweet. Minji laughs at the that.

Bora averts her eyes and brushes some hair behind her ear, smiling when she hears Minji laugh.

“Scoot, Si.” She says, waving Siyeon in the direction away from Minji. Siyeon crawls away, and is perched on the other end of the couch now, keeping her distance. It’s clear she looks guilty.

“God, not that far. Weirdo.” Bora says as she sits on Minji’s other side. Bora props her back up against the arm of the couch, and pulls Minji into her, where she settles between her legs. Minji rests her head on Bora’s chest, and Bora’s hands find purchase in her hair, scratching her scalp gently. Minji makes baby hands at Siyeon to beckon her over, because she’s still sat on the opposite side of the couch, pouting.

“C’mere, Si. We’re _bonding_.” Minji says, her voice still somewhat shaky from crying.

Bora laughs, and Minji’s head moves with her chest accordingly, feeling like she fits perfectly in the shorter woman’s embrace.

“Bring the blanket, I’m cold.” Bora whines.

Siyeon rolls her eyes and grabs it before settling on top of Minji with a flourish. Both of the other women groan as they’re crushed under Siyeon’s weight, which just makes her giggle. Siyeon hands the blanket to Bora, who drapes it over them all carefully. Minji is completely surrounded now, Bora behind her and Siyeon in her arms. She could get used to this.

They all lay in silence for a bit, until Siyeon speaks up again.

“I’m really sorry, Minji. I was just acting stupid because I was so nervous.”

Minji’s hands rest on her shoulder blades, rubbing them gently.

“It’s okay, Si. I just had a rough day, it was just a matter of time till I cried about it. And you are _not_ stupid.”

“Okay.” Siyeon pauses, snuggling into Minji’s arms even further. “Did you mean that though?”

“What?”

“That you had been imagining all of that.”

Minji’s hands stop their ministrations on Siyeon’s back.

“Well, yeah.” 

  
Bora’s hands move from Minji’s hair to her cheeks, pinching them gently.

“Me too, actually.” Bora says. “I’m just shocked we held off for this long.”

They all laugh, and Minji ponders what Bora had said, because she definitely has a point. They’d all been inseparable for so long, and scarily comfortable showing their affection. She thinks of all the times they had cuddled like this before, all the times that she had kissed them on the cheeks and it had sent a rush through her. Maybe it really _was_ only a matter of time.

“It was hard.” Siyeon says, and they all murmur in agreement. She tilts her head to look up at Minji, who smiles at her brightly. She leans down to capture Siyeon’s lips in a gentle kiss. It’s slower, and Minji can’t help but feel like there has to be more than lust behind it. Minji feels Bora’s hands settle at her shoulders, squeezing them gently. She and Siyeon finally separate and Bora hums as she places a careful kiss to the top of Minji’s head.

“Is this gonna be a regular thing now?” Bora says, and Minji smiles when she hears the rare sign of trepidation from Bora.

“I want it to be.” Minji says, and she feels Bora let out a deep exhale.

“Me too. With both of you.” Siyeon says. She sits up a bit, and presses kisses to Bora and Minji’s cheeks before settling back into Minji’s arms.

“Well, yeah. I would never be happy if I couldn’t do this with both of you.” Bora says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Minji thinks about Bora’s choice of words. “ _This._ ” She genuinely wonders what _this_ is going to lead to, but her brain is barely functioning enough the way it is, nonetheless factoring in the dynamics of what could be rather than what is _._ Minji has always been happy with Bora and Siyeon, and if anything, she knows that _this_ was just the natural progression of things. This weird, isolated moment, the one that leads to whatever they will become, Minji is grateful for. So she sits in that, and in Bora’s arms, more specifically, and is content.

She reaches an arm behind her to pull Bora’s head down, enough to kiss her. Bora awkwardly meets her lips, moving them in tandem. She’s unusually gentle, and Minji hums contentedly into her lips. They separate and Bora smiles shyly at her.

Minji isn’t sure what’s going to come of whatever had just happened, what cataclysmic shattering of stars and converging of galaxies had just gone down in their dorm’s living room, but she’s in no state to question it. She smiles as Siyeon pouts at Bora expectantly, to which Bora responds by shifting them all forward and kissing her, too. 

Minji has never felt more complete than she has at this moment, like everything had finally clicked.

…

Whatever arrangement they have is awkward at first. Incredibly so. Bora ends up walking in on Siyeon and Minji making out in their room more times than she can count, which always ends up in Bora shoving them on opposite sides of the bed, inserting herself between them and demanding attention. She acts upset, but Minji knows she really uses it as a ploy to get all the attention on her, and, of course, Siyeon and Minji oblige happily.

_“Again?” Bora says, exasperated, slamming open the door and shutting it quickly behind her when she finds them together._

_Siyeon and Minji only laugh, looking up at her and separating from the kiss for a brief moment before returning their lips to each other._

_“Stop!!” Bora squeals, stomping over to the bed and peeling Siyeon off of Minji. Both women are flushed, red faces graced with wide smiles as they watch Bora throw a tantrum._

_“Aww, are you jealous? What do you want, baby?” Minji teases, though there’s sincerity behind her words._

_“You always do this without me! What if_ I _want a kiss.”_

_“You can ask for one?” Siyeon says, keeping up the charade._

_“I shouldn’t have to ask! And I shouldn’t have to rip you bastards off of each other just to pay attention to me!” Bora says, frowning._

_Siyeon and Minji break now, squishing Bora between them and peppering her face with kisses. She yelps loudly and pretends to fight back, but Minji knows damn well that Bora uses all of her strength or none of it, and the weak swats on her arm are telling her all she needs to know._

Minji thought she knew everything about Siyeon and Bora, but in the past few months, she found out she had a lot to learn. She learns that Bora really hates sleeping alone, that she usually ends up in Siyeon or Minji’s bed by the end of the night. She learns that Siyeon absolutely loves being kissed on the temple, and that there’s a persistent knot in one of her shoulders, one that Bora and Minji take turns massaging out. Minji learns that she loves when Bora steals a quick, risky kiss in places they probably shouldn’t be kissing, that Bora makes everything a little more exciting for both of them.

Minji also comes to learn that communication is hard. There’s multiple times where she’s requested in the living room, finding one of the girls crying, being comforted by the other. And sometimes, she’s the one crying, too. It’s not too common, but their rare bouts of jealousy are only exacerbated by miscommunications because of work, or _at_ work, and it’s a lot to unpack. It’s never a burden, though. Minji is eager to listen, to mend, and to move on. Bora and Siyeon feel the same way, and they always end their talks with a movie and a cuddle pile on the couch. Minji is grateful that they all can make the most of the worst, that the vulnerability they decide to share with one another is met with eager affirmations of want (though Minji has to hold herself back from saying the L-word more than once), soft caresses under blankets, and lots of kissing. An obscene amount, really.

  
Minji has never felt like love was absent in her life, but she never realized how present it could be until Bora and Siyeon had been hers. And the worst part is that they’re not even _hers,_ technically. 

There’s so many times where she’s wanted to tell them both she loves them, that she wants forever with them outside of whatever limited time they have in Dreamcatcher. She knows it's mutual when she wakes up one morning to Bora snoring on Siyeon’s chest, and her and Siyeon exchange a soft kiss over the sleeping woman between them. The way Siyeon’s eyes softened at the sight of them, the way tears welled up in her eyes, she _knows_ it’s mutual. Especially when Bora wakes up for a moment, and pulls Minji onto her, when she lets out a quiet whine when Siyeon and Minji dote on her for the brief second she’s awake. Bora doesn’t let anyone see that side of her, aside from Minji and Siyeon. They’ve never explicitly said it, but Minji is beyond sure of how deep their feelings are.

The only thing she’s unsure of is how to express said feelings. It seems bizarre to her, the way they already treat each other as girlfriends, how they always have, really, but have never crossed that line. They’ve crossed all others, but maybe what’s scary is labeling it. Minji knows what they have is real, that it’s genuine and _god_ does it make her feel like she’s finally alive, but officially establishing it is nerve-wracking. 

...

It’s when Bora turns 26 that everything shifts.

Minji remembers it like it was yesterday. She and Siyeon had been planning an outing for Bora in secret for weeks, something for just the three of them. The logistics were hard to coordinate, and Minji and Siyeon had settled on a late-night date to a rollerskating rink, one that doubled as a karaoke bar. They knew Bora would love it, and it would be much easier to sneak away from the other members the later they pushed the outing.

After weeks of careful preparation and agonizing over tiny details, it’s finally Bora’s birthday, and Siyeon and Minji go to wake her up. She slept in, as usual, but they appreciate it for once because it just means that Yoohyeon is out of their shared room. They open the door quietly, and Bora is flat on her back, mouth wide in an obscenely loud snore. 

Minji and Siyeon exchange a knowing glance and laugh to themselves quietly before walking over to her bed. They kneel side by side, and Siyeon reaches for one of Bora’s hands, taking it in her own and pinching the back of it gently. Minji leans forward and presses a gentle kiss to Bora’s nose. She doesn’t stir at all.

Minji huffs out a breathy, quiet laugh and tries kissing her forehead. She does it messily, making a loud and wet smack as her lips make contact. Still, no movement. Minji looks over to Siyeon, and finds Siyeon to be just as puzzled as she is.

“Bora? Sweetheart, are you okay?” Minji says, a little nervous now.

Bora’s eyes open quickly and then flutter back shut. She groans a bit, and rolls over to her side, away from Minji and Siyeon.

“No! I’m not okay, actually.” Bora’s voice is entirely too dramatic for just waking up, and Siyeon sighs.

“What’s wrong, then?” Siyeon asks. 

Bora pulls the covers over her head and makes a loud, disgruntled noise. Minji elbows Siyeon, who already knows what she’s getting at. They both crawl into Bora’s incredibly small bed, and crush her with their bodies as gently as humanly possible.

Bora yelps and continues to squirm under the blanket as Minji and Siyeon tickle her. She puts it to a stop quickly, nearly pushing them both off the bed when she rotates around to face them.

“Hey!” She scolds.

Minji and Siyeon laugh, and take turns exchanging lazy good morning kisses with Bora, and then with each other. She loses her attitude quickly, offering a sleepy smile to the two girls.

“You didn’t answer, Bora.” Minji reminds her.

“And I’m not going to!” She huffs, quickly regaining her sour mood at the mention.

“You’re gonna be difficult on your _birthday?_ ” Siyeon says with a prod to her side.

Bora groans again and hides her face.

“It’s not a big deal.” Bora says, voice muffled.

“Of course it is! Our baby is 26 now, we have to celebrate!” Minji says, stopping to press a kiss to her head before resting her hand on Bora’s side.

“No we don’t.” Bora says, and her voice seems to be weaker.

Minji looks at Siyeon, eyebrows knitted together out of worry. Siyeon mirrors her expression and shrugs, and nods her head at Bora.

Minji cards her fingers through Bora’s hair, frowning as she sees Bora’s shoulders shake with silent sobs. Siyeon crawls into bed behind Bora now, letting her arm drape over the shorter woman’s waist. Bora accepts her touch instantly, scooting back into her. The freed up space lets Minji lay in front of Bora, where her fingers are still in her hair.

“What’s wrong, baby? Please talk to us.”

Bora cries quietly for a few more minutes, not speaking. Siyeon and Minji are patient with her, as always, and when she calms down a bit, Minji has to strain to hear her voice.

“I don’t wanna get older.”

“I know, baby. Is there any reason why?” Siyeon says, nuzzling her head into Bora’s back.

Bora starts crying again at the prompt, but it seems like she’s beyond caring about keeping her thoughts in any longer.

“I don’t want you guys to get sick of me, this is just another year over and I don’t know much time we have with each other. What if next year we aren’t like this?” Bora sobs, her words muffled by the way she’s hiding her head in her pillow.

Minji hears it again. _This._ It gnaws at her stomach and makes her heart leap into her throat. It’s been months and they haven’t made anything official, and Bora seems to be agonizing over it just as much as she is. And if that’s any indication, Siyeon probably is too.

“Bora, we aren’t gonna get sick of you.”

“Not at all.” Siyeon agrees.

Bora sniffles loudly. “How can I know that?”

Minji makes a desperate glance at Siyeon, and her heart seems to race out of her chest. Against the clawing and anxious pleas of her body, Minji says what's been on her mind for months.

“Bora, Si. Can I be honest?”

Minji curses her choice of words when Bora sobs loudly, seemingly interpreting it in the wrong way.

  
“Oh no, baby. I’m sorry, we’re okay.” Minji says, leaning in to stroke Bora’s hair and kiss anywhere that wasn’t covered by the pillow.

“Can you look at me, princess?” Minji continues.

Bora sniffles again and turns her head to look at Minji, and her eyes are swollen from crying. Minji’s hand drapes over Bora’s waist, and finds Siyeon’s fingers there, interlocking them with her own.

“I wanna be more than whatever _this_ is. I want us to be girlfriends. You both mean so much more to me than just messing around.”

Bora finally seems to perk up a little.

  
“You’re serious?”

“Completely. I want more for us.” Minji says, a shy smile scrawled over her face as she looks at the women in front of her.

“I agree. I hate dancing around all of this, especially when it seems like we’re all on the same page anyway.” Siyeon says, pressing a kiss to the back of Bora’s head and squeezing Minji’s fingers in her own. “I care about you both so much.”

Bora’s eyes meet Minji’s, and they shine with tears, though at least now the sight is juxtaposed with a bright smile. Bora turns back to face Siyeon for a brief second, who matches her beaming smile.

“Really?” Bora says, her voice weak from crying but excited nonetheless.

Minji answers by leaning in to kiss her. She tastes salty from the tears, but Minji doesn’t mind, not when Bora’s kissing her like she’s got the last breath of oxygen in the world behind her lips. The kiss is slow and lazy, and Bora’s leg hooks over Minji’s own, pulling her in closer. Siyeon’s hand leaves Minji's and ends up rubbing Minji’s back, her nails scratching the skin there lightly as she watches them kiss. 

They separate and Bora bites her bottom lip, visibly giddy. She rotates around to face Siyeon, who looks entirely too eager for her turn. Minji huffs out a breathy laugh, and watches fondly as Bora kisses Siyeon just as gently. Bora is a walking hurricane, rough and loud and always the center of attention, but when she’s like this, so calm and loving, Minji’s heart swells. Her appreciation for Siyeon is similar, wherein Siyeon is always so outgoing and cheery, but the presence of her now girlfriends is enough to make her bashful. Minji is eternally grateful to see these sides of them, and it never fails to make her flush with affection.

Minji traces the outline of Bora’s spine as she kisses Siyeon. This moment feels like it’s been a long time coming, yet none of it seems real. She’s distracted from her thoughts by a loud moan from one of her girlfriends, scoffing at how quickly they get heated. Minji molds herself into Bora’s back, and squeezes her hand on her thigh. Minji’s other free hand roots itself in Bora’s hair, tugging at her enough to expose her neck. Before Minji latches onto the soft skin over her pulse, she whispers into the warmth she finds there.

“Happy birthday, baby.”

…

Minji is immensely grateful for the fact that they don’t have a schedule today, because by the time she manages to pry her girlfriends off of each other, it’s nearly dark out. Minji laughs when they finally stand up, legs weak and hair splayed in all directions.

“You two look a mess.” Minji chides, though there’s a proud smile on her face.

Bora scoffs, brushing herself off and rearranging her clothes. 

“And whose fault is that?”

“Definitely mine!” Siyeon chirps, an arrogant smile ghosting over her lips.

Minji crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at her girlfriend. “You can’t take all the credit, babe.”

Siyeon rolls her eyes and pulls Minji in by the waist, capturing her lips in a kiss. She’s rougher than usual, and Minji feels her possessiveness manifesting in the way she’s chasing after Minji when she begins to pull away. Minji tries once more to separate, and Siyeon responds by biting her lower lip. Once she does, she finally lets Minji go, and she falls back with a slight stutter in her step. Minji’s face is hot, and she makes a quick glance at Bora, whose pupils are blown out.

Bora shakes her head and wolf whistles, which only deepens the blush on Minji’s face. 

“Cut it out! We actually have important stuff planned for you, birthday girl. We won’t get to do anything if you both won’t stop being so handsy!” Minji says, exasperated.

Bora and Siyeon exchange a knowing look, but it seems they decide against their impulses, settling for a few eye rolls and a heavy sigh.

“Fine.” Bora says.

“Babe, me and Si are gonna go get ready-” Minji says, though she's met with groans of protest from them both, “-so we can go _celebrate_ , okay? Shockingly, there’s more than one way we can show you how much we l-” Minji stops herself before she says anything else, her eyes going wide.

Bora knits her eyebrows together, clearly waiting for Minji to finish. Siyeon just looks shocked, if the look on her face is any indication.

“Okay. Going now.” Minji says, dragging Siyeon out of the room with her by the wrist.

Minji is so flustered she doesn’t speak to Siyeon for the remainder of the time they’re alone, even when Siyeon back hugs her while they’re getting ready. She just relaxes into her, knowing that Siyeon probably understands what she’s feeling. A few minutes pass, and Bora knocks on their door with an incredible urgency.

“Hurry up! I miss you.”

“You can just come in, stupid.” Siyeon responds.

Minji has to hide the smile on her face when she hears Bora scoff from behind the door, opening it with a bang. As always, she shuts the door just as quickly as she opens it, and Bora’s consistent brute force really makes Minji appreciate the integrity of the door’s hinges.

“What did you just call me?” 

“I called you _stupid_.” Siyeon says again, a playful smile etched on her face.

“Yeah?” Bora says, pushing the younger girl against the wall. Out of the corner of her eyes, Minji watches Bora lift one of Siyeon’s legs to her own hip, holding her in place while she attacks their girlfriend with yet another voracious makeout session.

Minji just shakes her head as she rifles through her drawer, looking for a pair of socks. She laughs when she thinks about how absurd this would seem to anyone else, Minji more consumed by finding her favorite pair of socks than the two women violently making out on the wall mere feet from her. It’s something she’s grown incredibly used to.

Minji tsks at them as she finally finds the pair she was looking for. Bora happens to be standing right over the pair of shoes that she wants to wear, so she makes a pointed slap to her girlfriend’s ass.

“Move!” 

Reluctantly, Bora lets go of Siyeon, and Minji laughs when they both turn and face her with blissed out grins on their faces. She reaches down to grab her shoes, and weaves around Bora and Siyeon in the process.

“Jealous, Minji?” Bora teases.

“Not really, I know you’ll be all over me later.” She replies, a polite smile gracing her features.

Siyeon laughs when she notices the blush on Bora’s face, and Minji sits on the edge of her bed to put on her shoes. Bora sits down next to her, and rests her head on her shoulder, while Siyeon shuffles around the room, still getting ready. When Minji finally finishes tying the laces of her shoes, she turns to press a kiss to the side of Bora’s head.

“Are you excited?”

Bora nods.

“Of course I am!”

“You’re gonna love it, babe. Ji and I spent so fucking long working everything out.” Siyeon says from the other side of the room, where she’s sprawled out on the floor searching for something under her bed. Minji knows immediately what she’s looking for, though whether that innate understanding comes from being her roommate or her girlfriend, she’s not sure.

  
“Baby, your bra is under _my_ bed, remember?”

Bora gasps and slaps Minji’s thigh, though an amused smirk graces her features.

“And why would it be there?” Bora asks, affronted.

Minji and Siyeon laugh.

“Don’t ask answers you don’t want answers to, Bora.” Siyeon quips, walking over to where they’re sitting. Siyeon kneels in front of them both, and pushes their legs aside to reach under the bed. Bora takes the opportunity to kick her in the side, lightly enough so as not to hurt her, but enough to disrupt her balance.

Bora laughs shrilly as she watches Siyeon faceplant into the ground, where she visibly shakes with laughter. Minji gasps and pushes Bora on the bed, trying her hardest not to laugh, but it starts spilling out of her when she notices that Bora and Siyeon both are crying from laughter.

“Si, you okay, babe?”

Minji isn’t expecting an answer, and she doesn’t get one. Siyeon just ends up sticking her arm under the bed and pulling out her bra, unable to stop laughing. She kneels back up and swats Bora’s leg loudly before crawling onto the bed between them. Minji laughs as she wipes the joyous tears from Siyeon’s face, and leans down to kiss her. 

Minji leans back and shakes her head, a wide smile plastered over her features.

  
“You two are taking years off of my life.” Minji sighs.

“If that’s the case then we’ll make whatever years you have left extra memorable, baby.” Bora says, reaching over Siyeon to pinch Minji’s cheeks.

“Yeah, if you don’t kill her first, Bora.” Siyeon pipes up. “I’m speaking from experience, here.”

Bora scoffs and stands from the bed, holding her hands out to Minji and Siyeon to help them up. They take her offer, and Bora pulls them both up with ease, bringing them into her arms and crushing them with a bear hug.

“You both know how much I care about you. I wouldn’t hurt you.” Bora says. She rests her head between Minji and Siyeon, and they both lean into her.

“Babe, I was joking.” Siyeon says, voice hushed.

“I know, I just wanted to say that anyway.” Bora says, pulling them both a little closer.

Minji’s heart soars. How did she get so lucky with _this_ , and with them? She decides not to question it, and settles for rubbing small circles on her girlfriend’s backs. What they have is so pure, so understanding. It makes her heart ache.

“I love you.” It comes out without her meaning it to.

She inhales sharply, expecting them both to be shocked, or to ask her to repeat herself. 

“I love you too.”

“ _I love you.”_

They echo her. It’s simple. 

Minji sobs, pulling them closer into her. They stay like that for a while, and Minji is eternally grateful that the only thing tethering her to reality, reminding her that this is real, is the warm embrace of her girlfriends beside her, equally as overwhelmed with adoration.

...

Minji loves that she can have her alone time with Bora and Siyeon separately, knowing that despite the private moments they share, they always end up together, happiest as a trio. They all have inside jokes and memories and stolen kisses of their own, unique stories that always end up getting retold and weaved together into a series of recollections of love: raw and whole and effortlessly beautiful.

Minji believes in fate, sure, but she also believes that the quiet moments all three of them share in the dead of night are more than that. She believes that they always choose each other, and always will. To be completely enveloped in the love that Bora and Siyeon share with her, and with each other, is something that Minji will always cherish. Fate be damned, these were _her_ girls for whatever time on Earth she’s allowed.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, thank you so much for leaving comments and kudos and talking to me on twitter... it means more to me than you'll ever know! like seriously, you all have been so sweet to me and i really appreciate all the love on my fics... thank you. and as usual, feel free to bother me on twitter @/jiuphemisms if you so please... hope you enjoyed reading!! <3
> 
> p.s., i have a jibo fic coming out really soon for the pirate ficfest, so look forward to that too :p


End file.
